The present invention relates to surgical implants. In particular, the invention relates to suture anchors used to anchor a suture to a first portion of a body, the suture being used to attach a second portion of the body adjacent to the first portion. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a method and a suture anchor capable of securing a suture to a portion of a body without the need to tie any knots in the suture.
Suture anchors are often used in surgical procedures requiring the attachment of one tissue to another such as in attaching a soft tissue to a bone. Typical suture anchors are threaded or pressed into a hole drilled in the bone and include a suture that trails away from the anchor. The suture is then threaded through the tissue to be attached and knots are tied in the suture to hold the tissue against the bone adjacent the hole. One shortcoming of prior art suture anchors is the necessity of tying a knot which adds steps to the procedure, weakens the suture, and increases the complexity of the operation, especially in the tight confines of an arthroscopic or minimally invasive surgical wound.